Dear Building Bridges Colleagues,

I am pleased to once again share my support for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), and specifics about BBI’s ongoing efforts to “advance partnerships and improve lives.”  I send this update from my new position as Executive Director of The Hackett Center for Mental Health, which is the first regional center of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI).  I have been honored to have served for in government for over 25 years (10 with the state of Connecticut and 15 with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), and now I am excited to embark on a new adventure.

I am also excited to announce that BBI has a new book coming out in early 2020!  Edited by Beth Caldwell, Bob Lieberman, Janice LeBel, and myself, this new volume focuses on transformational change within residential interventions, their community partners, oversight agencies, families and youth.  And, in the final chapter, the editors recommend that 2020’s be called “The Decade of Residential Best Practices.”  Through the extensive list of individuals, consultants, organizations and entities that have endorsed the Joint Resolution, BBI intends to focus on big aspirational goals to transform services, policies and outcomes.  Aspirational goals such as:

• Families and youth feel engaged and empowered with the treatment and support services they receive.
• Services are culturally competent and delivered with humility and respect.
• Evidence-based and evidence-informed practices are individualized to the unique strengths and needs of each child and family; and are developed and implemented in the program, in the home and the community.
• All residential interventions use data to inform ongoing practice improvement and collect post discharge outcomes.
• Strong partnerships with families, oversight agencies, advocates and community providers’ result in lower lengths of stays, and smooth and successful transitions back to home, school and community.

While aspirational, these goals are now within reach because of the amazing work that BBI colleagues have accomplished in the past decade!  We are already witnessing organizations and systems across the country meet these goals.  And, as we move into a new decade, I know that BBI is committed to extend this progress to everyone!

To assist in these efforts, BBI leadership and partners have been busy developing materials, conducting a post-discharge data collection feasibility study, and connecting efforts to recent legislation (i.e., Family First Prevention Services Act).  Below are some highlights, and please bookmark www.buildingbridges4youth.org to get the latest information:

• With much appreciated support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation (Casey), BBI produced the document, Implementing Effective Short-Term Residential Interventions – A Building Bridges Initiative Guide.  This document identifies successful strategies and program elements that reduce length of stay so youth and families can live successfully together at home in their community.
• The Values and Principles of the BBI Framework align with the recently passed Family First Prevention Services Act.  To assist providers address the legislation requirements, again with support from Annie E. Casey, BBI recently developed the document, Building Bridges Initiative Family First Prevention Services Act Informational Document: Comparison of Federal Requirements for Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTP) & Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities
• With appreciation to our colleagues at Chapin Hall and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Social Work Technical Assistance Network (TA Network), BBI is proud to share the publication of “Feasibility of Long-Term Outcomes Measurement by Residential Providers.”  Published in a special edition of Residential Treatment for Children & Youth (2018, Vol. 35, No. 3, 175-191), the data and information obtained “provide evidence for the viability of a brief, telephone-administered post-discharge survey with caregivers.”  If you are interested in the measurement tool used in the post-discharge feasibility study, the BBI Post-Residential Outcomes Pilot Survey is now available.  This survey is intended for use by staff at residential provider agencies to conduct phone interviews with families and caregivers of discharged youth.
• BBI’s new book will have its first official release during a pre-conference session and book signing on Sunday, March 15th at the University of South Florida’s 33rd Annual Research and Policy Conference on Child, Adolescent, and Young Adult Behavioral Health in Tampa, Florida, March 15 – 18, 2020.
• To register for the conference: https://www.cmhnetwork.org/tampa-conference/
• Link to pre-conference page – https://www.cmhnetwork.org/tampa-conference/precon/
• Plans are underway for BBI to conduct a pre-institute on “Residential Transformation” at the summer 2020 University of Maryland, Baltimore Training Institutes in Orlando, Florida.  Keep an eye out for details and be sure to register early to secure your spot!  https://theinstitute.umaryland.edu/2020traininginstitutes/

I truly hope you will join BBI as they, along with their partners and collaborators, focus on residential best practice in the coming decade.  We hope that BBI materials and tools will assist in your efforts.  Also, please feel free to contact the new BBI Director, Mark Nickell, at marknickell.bbi@gmail.com, the BBI National Coordinator, Sherri Hammack, at svhammack@sbcglobal.net, or me at my new email, garyblau@texasstateofmind.org if you have questions or comments.

Thank you for your ongoing work to improve the lives of children, youth and families.

Best wishes,

Gary M. Blau, Ph.D., Executive Director
The Hackett Center for Mental Health
Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

List of Resources:

• BBI Website
• Implementing Effective Short-Term Residential Interventions – A Building Bridges Initiative Guide
• Building Bridges Initiative Family First Prevention Services Act Informational Document: Comparison of Federal Requirements for Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTP) & Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities
• Feasibility of Long-Term Outcomes Measurement by Residential Providers
• BBI Post-Residential Outcomes Pilot Survey